World Series Game 2 lineups: Nats at Astros

HOUSTON - And we're back. If Game 1 of the World Series wasn't thrilling and/or nerve-racking enough for you, you're in luck because the Nationals and Astros are right back at it tonight for Game 2, with no shortage of storylines to consume.

The most significant, of course, is the overall state of the series following the Nats' 5-4 win last night. All of a sudden, they're sending Stephen Strasburg to the mound with a chance to head home up two games to none in the best-of-seven series. How significant would that be? Well, only 11 teams have ever come back to win the World Series after losing Games 1 and 2, none since the Yankees did it to the Braves in 1996.

A win tonight, of course, is far easier said than done. The Nationals will need to find a way to score runs off Justin Verlander the way they did off Gerrit Cole last night. The good news: Two members of tonight's lineup have had significant success vs. Verlander in their careers. Kurt Suzuki is 14-for-42 with two doubles and five RBIs, though he hasn't faced him since 2016. Asdrúbal Cabrera, though, is 21-for-76 with six doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs. And it's not ancient history in his case: He faced Verlander a bunch earlier this season while with the Rangers and went 4-for-10 with a double and two homers.

Nobody in the Astros lineup, meanwhile, owns more than five career plate appearances against Strasburg (aside from a few more in spring training). So the Nationals right-hander could have the advantage, especially the first time through the order as Houston's very good hitters try to figure him out.

There will be pressure on Strasburg, though, not only to be effective but to be efficient. Davey Martinez had to coax 11 outs from Patrick Corbin, Daniel Hudson and Sean Doolittle last night. You would think Corbin is unavailable tonight, so Strasburg had better go six (or better yet, seven) innings to help ease the load on the bullpen.

WORLD SERIES - GAME 2
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at HOUSTON ASTROS
Where: Minute Maid Park
Gametime: 8:07 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX
Radio: 106.7 FM, 1500 AM, MLB.com
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS
SS Trea Turner
RF Adam Eaton
3B Anthony Rendon
LF Juan Soto
DH Howie Kendrick
2B Asdrúbal Cabrera
1B Ryan Zimmerman
C Kurt Suzuki
CF Victor Robles

RHP Stephen Strasburg

ASTROS
CF George Springer
2B Jose Altuve
LF Michael Brantley
3B Alex Bregman
1B Yuli Gurriel
DH Yordan Alvarez
SS Carlos Correa
C Robinson Chirinos
RF Josh Reddick

RHP Justin Verlander